Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-01-29
MARTINsBURG, W. VA, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1887.
He doubtless felt a, deep consuming

He doubtless felt a, deep consuming
love for the fair Esther, and his grow
ing conceit made him never question his
credited to her fear at having discov-
cred her heart had been won by him.
His disillusion came-came in a way
that left no question-came in a way
that seemed fendish in its cruelty
came in way that left murder and
hatred in his heart in place of
the love that had been SO brutally
driven out. The loss of the first love is
the only one that breaks the human
heart. After losses may open the
wound and the pain may be terrible; but
the first frightful disillusion is the cut
that leaves the scar.
Twas the fall of '63 following the
summer of Aaron's paradise, that Rich
ard Ms rtree, government contractor,
came to Keenville upon a business visit
to the WOODEN mill, which was then
engaged in the manufacture of army
blankets.
Mr.. Murtree was fine appearing man
of 40 years as one could find in the
whole country. A man six feet in hight,
stoutly built, of ruddy complexion, but
with hair and mustache of iron gray.
He looked every atom the man of the
world that he was. OF charming adj
dress, he possessed magnetism that
was only resistible to those who had
great strength, cowardly caution, or an
experience with the world equal to his
own.
His visit to the mills resulted in his
placing large contract with them, and
decision on his part to settle there
through the winter to expedite his BUSH
ness. He fitted up suite of rooms at
the wellkept hotel, in way that gave
him all possible comfort. Purchased the
best span of horses the town could fur
nish him, and the finest vehicles that
Boston could supply him. AS might be
expected he was crowned the nabob of
the quiet place, and from his extrava
gance and iberality he seemed to merit
the honor.
1t was at a church festival (what
strange tricks the evil spirit does play
with mankind) that Murtree became en-
tangled into this fatal tragedy. 1t was
there, on an early winter evening, that
he first met Esther Carter. He was at
once fascinated by her wonderful beauty
and charming manners. He doubtless
had been as completely fascinated
dozen times before by equally beautiful
women, but that fact did not lessen his
present enchantment. His well-timed
compliments and plainly apparent adj
miration naturally produced flattering
effect upon Esther.
Her bitter experience of the summer,
which had resulted in SO many painful
letters between Walter and herself,
warned her against repeating the folly
Her determination to be loyal and true
to her absent lover was sincere.
Aaron Voss attended this same festi-
val lit being one of the social events of
the SEASON. resolved to satisfy his egotis-
tical idea that he was irresistible to
Esther, and it was more in the spirit of
silencing him forever, with the desire to
show her complete disgust of him, that
she refused his attentions and accepted
buO PlOuOlCd CoSO1b llODlC VI NIL p1
tree, though possibly the secret pride of
conquest that is SO hopelessly woven
into her sex, was q partial prompter.
Whatever it was, the step was fatal.
Better had she dropped dead then and
there to have been the cause of the des-
olution of so many lives. Is it not pos
sible that many things in this mysteri-
Iifa of fhaf crQdtfoH fO M
cident, to fortuitous circumstances, that
are blamed to individual error or ca
priciousness, are really the fine threads
of an irresistible fate?
From the very moment that Esther
Carter placed her hand in the proffered
arm of Mr.. Murtree and stepped outside
the portal of the church that had been
her altar of worship from childhood
days, she was changed woman. The
influence of her whole previous life
seemed to have been swept away in
moment From that night there devel-
oped in her the most unreasonable, mad
dening infatuation that ever possessed
mortal woman. She grieved, cried and
sprayed for the brave boy that she was
proving herself so unworthy of, but
never faltered for a moment in her in
creasing and overwhelming love for the
handsome Murtree. The warning and
counsel of relatives and friends were as
thoughtlessly thrown aside as would
have been warning from heaven. Why
is the brain called the seat of insanity?
Does not life show that it is ever the
heart that goes mad?
1t was this terrific passion that Esther
showed for Murtree that awakened poor
deluded Aaron Voss to the frightful fact
that his love was hopelessly crushed.
With the narrow reason that is given to
misers, he believed fully that it was the
reputed wealth and prodigal liberality
of his hated rival that had torn away
from him this enchanting love.
AS the loss of one faculty adds
strength and acuteness to the remaining
ones, SO does the death of passion in
tensify those that remain, and SO it was
with Aaron Voss; his love gone beyond
all hope of recovery, his greed for
money was redoubled and he resolved to
hasten the day when the wealth of 9TH
ers should not overshadow his own.
His position in the rapidly growing mill
had advanced through his heartless
shrewdness, which trampled on all in
his way, until he was the assistant treas
urer; and perhaps well for the interests
of the stockholders, he was not advanced
step higher. His position gave him
positive knowledge as to Mr.. Murtree's
finances, at least regarding the amount
brought into Keenville.
Mr.. Murtree, with shrewdpess that
appreciated the wonderful opportunities
the war was giving for money making,
had bought mills in two adjoining towns
10 Keenville and weekly would drive
over to them, matter of some fife en-
miles, and pay the labor and other ex-
pense accounts.
Much of the business of drawing
money for these accounts came through